Maimane calls on Zille to release files

More parties have entered the fray as the ANC and the Democratic Alliance (DA) argue over cadre deployment.

Now Build One South Africa (Bosa) leader Mmusi Maimane is asking the DA to make public its files on cadre deployment.

This comes after DA federal chair Helen Zille’s post on X seemingly confirmed that the DA also practised cadre deployment.

She said it was introduced under Maimane but was later cancelled. The post has since been deleted.

Maimane’s statement follows Xiluva party leader Bongani Baloyi’s post on X. He detailed how DA appointments are strictly approved by its federal executive.

Maimane is a former leader of the DA, while Baloyi was the DA mayor of the Midvaal municipality.

Bosa denied Zille’s accusation that Maimane had introduced the policy while he was DA leader.

The party called on her to release all minutes of the federal executive (FedEx) meeting at which Maimane was present, including the ones capturing a decision to do away with the policy.

“There was no such policy in the DA under Maimane. In fact, when he took office, Zille’s own cadre deployment policy ‘fit for purpose’ was expunged,” said Bosa.

“That policy led to what appears to be a patronage network of DA persons and affiliates in the City of Cape Town and Western Cape,” it added.

Maimane said Zille’s “nearest and dearests” such as Ryan Coetzee, Penny Tainton and Wesgrow CEO Tim Harris were appointed to senior government posts.

The public mudslinging between the two biggest political parties continued this week after the ANC released its cadre deployment documents as ordered to by the Constitutional Court.